Collins: Senate won't be tied down by House health care bill

Sen. Susan Collins said on Sunday the Senate will not be tied down by the Republican health care bill approved by the House.

Asked on ABC's "This Week" whether she would vote yes on the House bill, the Maine Republican said she wouldn’t have to.

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"First of all, the House bill is not going to come before us," she said. "The Senate is starting from scratch. We're going to draft our own bill. And I'm convinced that we're going to take the time to do it right."

Among other things, the senator said she is concerned about the House proposals for tax credits, which aren't adjusted for income or region, and the waivers that would enable states to opt out of provisions dealing with pre-existing conditions.

Under the House plan, people with pre-existing conditions will always have access to coverage, Collins said. "But that coverage might well be unaffordable. And if the coverage is unaffordable, that doesn't do any good for a child who has juvenile diabetes and is going to have that her entire life."

The senator also said she doesn't believe any Republican health care plan should deny Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood.

"That is an important issue to me," Collins said, "because I don't think that low-income women should be denied their choice of health care providers, for family planning, cancer screenings, for well women care."

"It's not the only issue in this huge bill," she added. "But I certainly think it's not fair, and it is a mistake to defund Planned Parenthood."